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iPhone 5, 5s and 5c owners can use Apple Pay… with the help of an Apple Watch

Apple Pay is likely going to turn out to be one of the most interesting new services the Cupertino corporation announced today, but with the obvious lack of an NFC chip in the older generation iPhone models, many are going to have to upgrade to the new iPhone 6 or 6 Plus to take advantage of it in-store. But if you just recently purchased an iPhone 5s, for exmaple, it appears that Apple is offering a different way to use Apple Pay—and it’s coming in the form of the Apple Watch early next year.

As you can see in the photo above from Apple’s website, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are listed as the two devices that are capable of doing Apple Pay payments by themselves. But the Apple Watch, which was also announced today, will apparently do the job even if you have the iPhone 5 or 5c. How? Apple says you “just double-click the button below the Digital Crown and hold the face of your Apple Watch near the contactless reader.”

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Comments

  1. kyemclachlan16 - 10 years ago

    That’s not very secure… Seen as the watch doesn’t have Touch ID

    • shm1ck83 - 10 years ago

      it’s not any different than using your card as you do now, get over it

      • Andrew Paul Moulton - 10 years ago

        In fact, in many ways it’s still more secure than the way you shop now.

    • mlanders14 - 10 years ago

      I was assuming you’d still have to use Touch ID on your phone. As a 5s owner I would prefer that

    • Stetson - 10 years ago

      I believe it was Renie Ritchie (who was at the event) who said that you have to input a pass code on the watch when you put it on, and then it stays authorized as long as it stays in contact with your skin. That way if you take it off or it gets stolen it will no longer be authorized for payments.

    • I am rather sure I heard them say it used your heart beat pattern as a security method. Even if im wrong, its still a one time use number… so still more secure then a CC.

    • fluhartyml - 10 years ago

      The Apple Watch does not require the finger print sensor because it requires a pin code as well as maintaining body contact between pin code has been entered.

    • Big Dog (@macmansd) - 10 years ago

      It will ID you by touch

    • matthew - 9 years ago

      More secure than simply touching a card to a pay point with no code, for small payments. Thieves aren’t going after that anyway.

    • Michael (@Nyk0n) - 8 years ago

      its more secure than your tap to pay debit card since the apple pay wont work unless the watch is on your wrist and in range of your phone, chance of losing your debit card is pretty good and tap to pay has no pin required…apple pay the theives would need your watch and phone and touch id for phone to access wallet and your watch strapped on.

  2. It may not be as secure, but it is communicating with the iPhone, so you must have both devices, so think hope many people would have BOTH stolen…

  3. herb02135go - 10 years ago

    My goodness. Most people can barely use a credit card as it is.
    Wait until Gramps pulls his iTimePiece out while he’s ahead of you in line.

    You won’t be such a fan then!

    • thecodee - 10 years ago

      They wouldn’t get an Apple Watch in the first place.

      • Zohreh Salabi Gallant - 9 years ago

        I’ve been a MAD man since 1969 BC (before computers) I know a thing or three lol

    • Ginny Meyer - 10 years ago

      Hey Thanks for the vote of confidence – ya-ho! But I’ve been using computers since before you were probably born! I think I can handle it without inconveniencing you too much!

    • Sambandar - 10 years ago

      Stopping prejudice is like playing Whack-a-mole. Stop race, sex, gender, preference, and up pops another—age. Just wait until we get around to dick size and herb will stop laughing.

    • leicaman (@leicaman) - 9 years ago

      Oh please, this is the best you can do? Ageist bigotry?

    • Kyle McHattie - 9 years ago

      Why would he need to pull out his watch? It’s right on his arm. and two clicks and a wave is a lot faster than counting change or writing a check or trying to squint at a small screen. Your assertion is dumb.

  4. driverbenji - 10 years ago

    I’m surprised/disappointed at the NFC requirement, I thought for sure they would use a combination of BTLE, touch ID, encryption (and iBeacons)…I don’t really think NFC is really necessary, but, I’ve read that the new credit card standard is supposed to include NFC as a mandatory inclusion with merchant’s equipment by end of next year (or something like that). Sucks, but, I’ll be getting iPhone 6 4.7 before year’s end, not a Watch.

    • Andrew Paul Moulton - 10 years ago

      Wouldn’t bluetooth still require pairing? I’m positive it uses NFC because many stores already have that equipment in their POS, not so many have iBeacons.

  5. fluhartyml - 10 years ago

    Reblogged this on Fluharty Industries and commented:
    The Apple watch will give the iPhone 5 and above NFC technology used for Apple Pay

  6. Don Pomponio - 10 years ago

    I understand hardware limitations, NFC chip not in older iPhones, but… if one needs to purchase a new device, an Apple watch, wouldn’t it make more sense for the user who wants Apple Pay now, to upgrade to an iPhone 6?

  7. what ticks me off is that I was told that apple pay would be avail and useable for my iph 5s which is why I purchased it. Of course no one tells you that an iph 6 is in the works right. The ONLY reason I upgraded to an iph from an android was one of these features. Now I am being told I have to wear a dam watch! I don’t even wear a watch so why would I purchase this ugly thing and have to work two electronic things? I’m a grandmother hauling an 18mth around and a 3 yr old around 24/7 and this is the last thing I wanted plus running a photography business. I am very upset with apple and really wish I Never purchased this and stayed with android now. It seems like a useless piece of equipment for me. Thanks Best Buy for NOT knowing your darn job and wasting my hard earn money. And thanks Verizon for doing the same darn thing. Anyone want a 5s gold?

    • dyehardxen - 10 years ago

      Apple never said Apple party would work with the 5S. They said, on the day it was announced that it would require a 6 or the watch.

    • Morgan Nielsen - 10 years ago

      …but Android phones have had NFC for years! Google wallet works flawlessly – It just hasn’t been available to use many places. The advantage to iPay is that the name recognition of Apple is bringing in a large number of financial institutions and vendors into the fold. Better for everyone, just nothing new really.

      • robstercracker24 - 9 years ago

        What you don’t realize is that apple pay is more secure than Google wallet. Also people trust Apple and hence gonna trust the security with apple pay.
        Even if Google wallet has been around for longer than Apple pay, it didn’t attract the customers much because they don’t trust it.
        It’s as simple as that.
        You don’t marry whom you don’t trust!!

      • Benny Lee - 9 years ago

        apple pay is not more secure as Google wallet it uses the same technology NFC , if you loose your phone you call your credit card company to cancel just like you loose your card , NFC which has been around
        for ages only apple decided to put it on now since now it has been more location since Google wallet has already pave the way that is why Google wallet has 250 thousand location just like apple pay because they are piggies back off existing unit , just alike any other features that android / Google had for years then they added to the iPhone 6 to make it more attractive
        but unfortunately they are very late in every game that they are trying to follow LOL

    • David Madison - 10 years ago

      When did you purchase your 5s? Do you realize that the 5s came out a year before Apple Pay was announced? I know that Apple very much wants their iBeacon to be part of the standard, but at the moment, it isn’t — if iBeacon is every adopted anywhere, the 5s will be able to do wireless payments via Apple Pay via iBeacon (iBeacon is an Apple-defined, proprietary Bluetooth protocol that handles wireless payments from device to device. Apple Pay is the network underneath).

      Second, shame on you for thinking that a minimum wage worker at Best Buy (a company that is teetering on going out of business) actually knows anything about how advanced technology works.

    • iphandroid - 9 years ago

      Sell iPhone 5s on Craigslist for $400 or so. Get back your original upgrade price plus two bills. Then, add $200, go back on Craigslist and buy an iPhone 6 for $600 or so. Problem solved and cheaper than an Apple watch. Your total outlay remains about the same.

    • lukasconnolly - 9 years ago

      Are you serious about not wanting your phone anymore? I have been looking for a gold iphone 5s for a while now.

  8. cygnus1963 - 10 years ago

    An Apple genius told me when you put the watch on it is authorized by your phone it then scans the blood vessels in you arm and uses that to know you have it on. When you take it off it deauthorizes.

  9. Adrian Au (@weerdoe) - 10 years ago

    So really the answer is no.

  10. Benny Lee - 9 years ago

    BUY A 3 YEARS OLD ANDROID PHONE WILL HAVE THIS FEATURE WHY BUY A WATCH?
    WHAT A JOKE.

  11. Eric Dickson - 9 years ago

    So, here’s my question. I have a iPhone 5s, when I do get the Apple Watch, will Passbook open up to allow me to store debit/credit cards? it currently does not allow bank cards to be stored because of the lack of NFC chip like the iPhone 6/Plus have.

  12. Daniel R Larrabee - 9 years ago

    When I enter my card info on 5S says card is invalid and it is the same card that is used for all iTunes and app purchases

  13. What the goddamn fuck does this have to do with the iPhone 5 that’s like saying you could use Apple Pay with a ham sandwich your girlfriend made you you just have to use Apple Watch. I can’t figure out if you’re stupid or you have some weird Ulterior motive

  14. What the goddamn fuck does this have to do with the iPhone 5 that’s like saying you could use Apple Pay with a ham sandwich your girlfriend made you you just have to use Apple Watch. I can’t figure out if you’re stupid or you have some weird Ulterior motive

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Avatar for Stephen Hall Stephen Hall

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